Improvement in mowing-machines



2 Sheets-- Sheet 1.

H. M. BURDICK & T. v. LEROY.

Improvement in Mowing-Machines.

Patented Nov. 12, 1872.

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m Mr HIRAM M. BURDIOK AND TENNIS V. LE ROY, OF ILION, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWINGMACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 133,013, dated November 12', 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HIRAM M. BURDICK and TENNIS V. LE Boy, of Ilion, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Mowing- Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

Our invention consists in a novel manner of constructing, attaching, and bracing the inner or main shoe; in a novel arrangement of devices for rolling the bar edgewise in order to change the height of cut as may be necessary, as hereinafter more fully explained.

Figure 1 is an inside elevation of our machine, the inner wheel being removed and the finger-bar taken in section; Fig. 2, a top-plan view of the machine; Fig. 3, a side view of the hand-lever and connections for rocking and fastening the fingerbar; and Fig. 4, a section on the line 1 y, showing the joint of the shoe.

Our invention relates to that class of twowheeled machines which have a rigid frame mounted so as to tilt on the main axle, and have the finger-bar hinged at the forward corner. The first part of the invention relates to the manner of attaching and adjusting the shoe.

In the drawing, A represents the solid iron frame of the machine; B, the main axle, upon which the frame is mounted; and G, the wheels, all of which parts are constructed and arranged in the ordinary manner. D represents the main shoe, which is held and supported at its forward end by means of a transverse brace, E, and at its rear end by an arm, a, on the side of a head-block, F, the shoe being provided with two pairs of lugs on its top, betweenwhich the arm and the brace are pivoted, as shown. The brace E ext-ends crosswise under theframe, and has its outer end swiveled and mounted loosely on a horizontal rod, G, which is secured lengthwise under the outer side of the frame, as shown. The object of swiveling the end of the brace and mounting it on the rod is to permit it to move forward and back when the shoe is rocked or tipped, as hereinafter explained. The head-block F consists simply of a flat upright plate provided on its outer side with the strong arm 0, to which the shoe is pivoted. The head is held and supported by two longitudinal bars or braces, L and K,

extending backward, and by a rod, It, extending forward and connected to the tongue of the machine. The lower brace K has its forward end pivoted to the lower front corner of the head-block, and its rear end pivoted to a rigid depending arm, 6, on the under side of the frame, immediately below the axle, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper brace L has its forward end pivoted to the top of the headblock, and its rear end passed through a slot in arm 0, and pivoted to an upright hand-lever, M, the lower end of which is pivoted to the end of brace K, the latter being extended back of arm e for the purpose, as shown in Fig. 1. The two braces serve to hold the head-block securely in position, so that it cannot move either forward, backward, or laterally, while, at the same time, they permit a free vertical movement, in order that the shoe may rise and fall in conformity with the surface of the ground. By moving the hand-lever the upper brace L is moved lengthwise, and caused to tip the head-block forward or back, as the case may be, so as to rock the shoe and finger-bar, and change the height of the fingers from the ground. In this way the height of cut may be quickly and readily adjusted, as circumstances may require. The hand-lever is provided on its sides with pins or studs 6, and is arranged to play in a slotted bar or link, N, which is pivoted to the frame, as shown in Fig. 1, and provided in its lower side with notches k, to look over the pins and hold the lever in the manner shown. A rod, 1, is attached to the link N and passed up through an eye, m, at the upper end of the hand-lever, and a spring, a, is mounted upon it, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to press the link downward and cause it to lock automatically. In adj usting the lever the operator grasps its end and with the same hand pulls the rod l'upward so as to raise the link, and then, after placing the lever in the required position, releases the rod and allows the link to look again. The lever, when adjusted and fastened, holds the cutterbar securely and firmly in position. From the top' of the head-block a rod, R, is carried forward and connected to the tongue in the usual manner, for the purpose of aiding to hold the block and shoe in position when the machine is in operation. The head-block has its rearside slotted for the braces to pass through, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, so as to prevent it from playing laterally. The head, constructed and attached in the manner shown, gives a strong and solid support to the rear end of the shoe. The arm a on the head-block and the lugs on the shoe, to which the arm is pivoted, are made very strong and fitted closely together, so that there is no danger of breakage or of lateral play. The shoe, being pivoted to the arm and brace, can of course be turned up edgewise in order to bring the finger-bar to an upright position. In order to revent the bar from falling over past a vertical line, the arm a of the head-block is provided with a shoulder, 0, which serves as a stop to limit the turning of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 4. For the purpose of lifting and controlling the tin ger-bar an L-shaped hand-lever, 1 is pivoted to the machine, and the end ot its horizontal arm connected by a spiral spring, t, to the finger-bar at a point near the outer edge of the shoe. This is the usual arrangement, except that the spring is substituted in the place of the usual rod or chain, for the purpose of obviating any sudden jar or strain on the parts from thejoltin g or jarring of the machine. The lifting-lever is pivoted on the end of an arm or hanger, T, which is provided with a sleeve on its rear end, through which the axle passes, and with a lip or shoulder, t, which looks over one side of the frame, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the shaft and the lip serve to hold it in position. The frame of the machine bears against the ends of the sleeve,

and prevents the arm from moving laterally on the shaft, so that the lip cannot unlock. The forward end of the arm or hanger is provided with an enlarged head having ratchetteeth on its edges to hold the pawl n of the lifting-lever.

By our various improvements we are enabled to greatly simplify, cheapen, and improve this class of machines. The manner of operating the head-block to vary the height of cut, and of arranging the end of the front brace so as to slide and prevent the parts from cramping, are especially valuable as improving the operation of the machine.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is-- 1. The brace E, pivoted at one end to the shoe D, and arranged to slide at its opposite end on the rod G, substantially as described, to permit the shoe and finger-bar to be tilted without binding or cramping the brace.

2. The hanger or head piece F, constructed and applied as described, provided with the laterally-projecting arm 0, having the stop 0 formed thereon as a device for hinging the shoe to the frame, as set forth.

3. The combination of the head-block F, braces L and K, and lever M, arranged to operatc substantially as described.

HIRAM M. BURDIGK.

TENNIS V. LE ROY.

Witnesses:

J. B. PELTON, E. D. ATWELL. 

